Avoid blight with Soviet potatoes

13:26 11th February 2010

A national newspaper has suggested that garden and greenhouse fans can fight the potato blight by growing a strain which first appeared in a Hungarian Soviet agriculture programme.

The Sarpo is one of the few varieties that offer high resistance to the dreaded Blue 13 blight, which has been prevalent in the past three years and exacerbated by heavy rainfall.

According to the Guardian, the floury texture and large tubers make it ideal for making chips, although they are not as waxy and offer a less delicate flavour than traditional favourites such as Remarka, Valor, Lady Balfour and Cara.

These potatoes have become less resistant in recent years, but can still be grown as long as any foliage is removed at the first sign of blight and the tubers are harvested within three weeks.

Other high resistance choices include Mira and Axona, both of which are able to withstand the Blue 13 "menace" to a high degree.

In other news, The Hangover and Valentine's Day star Bradley Cooper recently revealed to MTV.com how he once had a former girlfriend's garden redesigned as a romantic treat.